Our 1st Camping Trip!

Well, technically not our 1st, but it's been quite a long time since the whole family went camping together. The kids have been so excited about going camping for weeks. We've been planning on going for Memorial Day weekend, but when it came down to it, the weather didn't really cooperate with us . . . but that didn't stop us. The kids were dead set on going. Surprisingly, we were the only campers around. I'm shocked no one else wanted to venture out in this weather.

Here is a timer shot by the fire pit.

The kiddos couldn't get enough of the marshmallows and fire.

Even Hershey loved being camping and relaxing by the fire.

During the rain, we stayed occupied by playing games in the camper.

We even did some coloring and card making.

Jason guided us on a nature walk. The kids even collected worms for a fishing trip later.

Cambrie ready for worms with her bug tweezers.

Jason pointing out an antler rub on a tree.

Jake-man cruising along the trail.

Tatum found part of a hip bone on our hike.

Here they are extracting ants from an ant hill.

It was a great few days just enjoying each others company without any distractions. Hopefully we'll be doing this a lot more this summer. If the kids have anything to say about it, we definitely will.

SIX FLAGS

We went to Six Flags with the whole family and my kids had so much fun we ended up returning on another day.
Here are some pics from our fun days at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom.

feeding the birds

The kids definitely remembered feeding the birds at Six Flags. They chose to do this over riding any of the rides. Each person is given a little cup of nectar and once you enter the area with the birds, they flock to the nectar. It is unreal!

Jake was apprehensive at first, but really started to like the birds, until he was covered with them. . . then he began to have second thoughts.

just one bird = just right

the birds are coming and so are the worries


almost out of nectar - now he's definitely worried

Cambrie loved every second of it. I'm convinced she would make a great vet one day. I've never seen anyone that loves animals as much as she does.

Lucy, one of the birds really took a liking to Tater.

Dennis the Menace Park

We're always spoiled when we go to California because they have some of the best parks for the kids to play at. In Monterey we found the Dennis the Menace Park. It was huge with tons of unique and fun play things. It had a labyrinth made out of hedges and even a REAL steam engine.

Tatum and Jake going down the slide.

This roller slide was really neat.

Jake loved the train of course.

Can you see the kids on there. I needed a picture to show how huge it was, but I still didn't get it all..

Nana & Poppy pushing Cambrie.

Cambrie taking a break on one of the climbing walls.

Lovin' The Beach!

We headed down to the beach in Monterey to let the kids finish their dippin' dots. It was a nice day, but not HOT by any means. We were shocked to see the girls get closer and closer. I looked at my Dad and said, "Tatum will be soaked in no time." The next thing we knew, she had fallen while running away from the incoming wave and was drenched. She said to me, "Mom, have I ever been to the beach?" I had to think for a minute, but the anser was NO. This was her 1st trip to the beach. I was shocked that we hadn't taken her before and know that after this, we'll have to make many more trips.

I think this picture says it all! Tatum was just LOVIN' the beach!

They were collecting shells and kelp and whatever else they could find.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

We took a couple days to drive down to Monterey. The kids are fascinated with fish and sea life and absolutely loved the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
They enjoyed it so much we ended up going back a 2nd day.

They couldn't get enough of the touch pools where they had a real 'hand's on' experience.

Tatum and I in front of one of the HUGE tanks. They loved it when a diver entered the tank to feed the fish.

Tatum and Jake experiencing what a tidal wave would look like from below.

Jake and Poppy.


Nana, Poppy and the girls.

Mini Vacation . . .

I signed up to run in the Shelley Spud Run so we decided to take the kids and stay in a hotel in Idaho Falls the night before for a mini vacation. They loved everything about the hotel, freedom to jump on the beds, mints in the room, fresh cookies in the lobby and best of all a swimming pool practically all to ourselves. Jason said it was really a vacation because they had cable in the hotel (I canceled our dish at the beginning of the summer and it's been a bit of an adjustment for him).

Here is the mattress inspection team~
Jake felt right at home in the hotel. Popcorn anyone?
Dinner at Chili's~